Gurdaspur, November 7
Despite a ban on their voting, Sehajdharis voted openly during the elections for the Dhariwal and Gurdaspur (general) SGPC constituencies here today. When The Tribune team visited various polling stations, Sehajdharis voters were found to be voting in Sadhiali, Zaffarwal, Kanuwan and Sekhwan villages.

The presiding officers of polling stations, when asked to comment, said any voter whose name was on the list had been allowed to vote. About the identity of voters, they said it was the duty of polling agents to verify it.

“We are not concerned whether a voter is Sehajdhari or not,” they said. In a few cases, the Sehajdhari voters failed to reveal their identity, they added.

Liquor vends were also found to be open en route Kanuwan despite the presence of policemen.

Shiromani Akali Dal leaders, including former minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, who is contesting the elections from the Gurdaspur (general) constituency against Panthic Morcha candidate Amrik Singh, alleged large-scale bogus voting by policemen in plain clothes.

He alleged that a large number of supervisers and presiding officers of polling stations were shifted yesterday to help Panthic Morcha candidates. The SAD workers were being intimidated by the police against casting votes, he said.

The situation was, however, normal in the Dhariwal constituency but for a few incidents of minor clashes between supporters of Mr Sucha Singh Chottepur of the Panthic Morcha and Mr Sucha Singh Langah of the SAD.

Panic in the SAD camp was obvious from the fact that though two polling observers, Mr SC Jain (Dhariwal) and Mr RP Chander (Gurdaspur), were in the field, the secretary, Gurdwara Election Commission (GEC), Mr Gurdev Singh, also ensured his presence during polling. The latter himself visited the polling booths to take stock of the situation.

Sources said on the complaint of the SAD leaders and the GEC secretary, the Gurdwara Election Commission had stayed the results of the elections till further orders.

Earlier, the results of the elections were to be declared at the polling booths. However, as per orders received by the district returning officer, the GEC stayed the results on the plea that central paramilitary forces were not deployed for conducting the elections. The other plea for the staying of results was the complaints of SAD leaders.

As per GEC orders, the ballot boxes after being sealed would now be brought to Gurdaspur and stored at the places after due attestation from the secretary, GEC.

The order of the GEC, however, left the district polling officers fuming. The district returning officer- cum-ADC (general), Mr VK Meena, said neither he nor the observers had received any authentic complaint. The polling remained smooth and peaceful, he said.

The SSP, Gurdaspur, Mr Narinder Bhargav, maintained that he had received just one complaint. He said even that had been found to be baseless after verification.